All the above reveal the roots of the tragedy of Catherine and Tess , but for the enduring literary works we should carry out new exploration and new discoveries. In a nutshell, through what I have discussed above, it is obviously that their heroism, their characters as well as author’s fatalism are the direct causes of Catherine and Tess’ tragedy. But these direct causes are deeply rooted in the cruel social environment: the impoverished peasant, the unjust law and cruel convention.
3. Similar Tragic Origins
This part will analyse the tragic origins of the two heroines from three major aspects— love tragedy, personality tragedy and social tragedy and each of them can be pided into two parts—Catherine’s and Tess’.
3.1 Love tragedy
First, the two heroins’ misunderstanding of love is the common cause of their love tragedy. Catherine thought that the wealth and status could bring her happy life, and Tess considered that simplicity and honesty was the key to the true love. But these are not the cases. Love tragedy was one of the important reasons leading to the heroines’ tragic fate. First of all,there will be the discussion on the first internal tragedy of the two heroines—love tragedy.
3.1.1 Catherine’s love tragedy
In Wuthering Heights, the topic is love and hatred, the story shows us a world-shaking undying love. Although they each other so much, their love is a tragedy. In the novel, Heathcliff was abandoned by his parents, but was adopted by the old haciendado Earnshaw of Wuthring Heights. When Heathcliff first came into this house, Catherine—the daughter of old Earnshaw had a spit on him, but she changed her attitude dramatically with a few days and the two soon grew inseparable. Catherine loved Heathcliff deeply and their love was rooted in their childhood. Their love transcended every difficulty and was stronger than hurricane. Moreover, their love was based on their shared concept, even their souls were shared by one. Catherine said, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” (Gao 103).
But Hindley, the young haciendado of Wuthering Heights did not like poor Heathcliff. We can see from that Heathcliff was treated as a servant by Hindley after the old haciendado died. Even the right to listen to Bible was deprived of. He made every possible effort to separate them. But, Catherine insisted on staying with Heathcliff. The greatest pleasure of the childhood sweethearts was to go out to the wilderness in the early morning and stay there all day. Then punishment for this thing became ridiculous. The feelings between them just like one soul in two parts, losing one half, they would fail to find a complete soul.
However, when Catherine first came back from Thrushcross Grange, she changed all these thoughts immediately. And her heart became more ambivalent and complex. The status of Heathcliff was certainly low, compared with the elegance and wealth of Linton. If she got married with Heathcliff, both of them would be beggars, even if she was well aware that she could not live without Heathcliff. But when she realized that marrying with Linton would make her the greatest woman in the area. She could not resist the temptation of Linton, so she married Linton and began the love tragedy.
Moreover, the unpleasant marriage life made her unhappy, and her love for Heathcliff was increasing. After 3 years, when rich Heathcliff returned to the field, he had become a terrible avenger. Tortured spiritually and psychologically, Catherine stepped to death. When Catherine was dying, she was lying there with a smile on her face, and her last thought went back to the happy days of childhood. And her life ended in a happy dream (Bronte 230). In the progress of Heathcliff’s revenge, especially in the next generation, he saw himself in the same year, and saw his love with Catherine in that year. Under the appeal of love, he couldn’t help giving up his revenge, waiting to be with Catherine. At last, the couple met in another world. 凯瑟琳和苔丝的悲剧根源对比(3):http://www.chuibin.com/yingyu/lunwen_206646.html